Category: Latest News

Our U21 squad has travelled to Italy where they are due to face the hosts in a European Championship Qualifier on Tuesday afternoon. There is some doubt that the match may yet be postponed following the postponement of the Iceland v Italy fixture on Friday last. Two players and a backroom member of the Italian squad tested positive for the Corona Virus which prompted the postponement.

St Mirren defender Conor McCarthy is a late addition to the squad while injury has ruled out Neil Farrugia of Shamrock Rovers who is replaced by Danny Grant of Bohemian FC.

Following the events surrounding the senior team, Dara O’Shea and Jason Knight have been called up to the senior squad for next Wednesday’s contest in Finland.

Goalkeepers: Gavin Bazunu(Rochdale-Loan) Ed McGinty(Sligo Rovers) 
Defenders: Nathan Collins(Stoke City), Darragh Leahy(Dundalk), Conor Masterson(QPR), Conor McCarthy(St Mirren), Danny McNamara(St Johnstone-Loan), Lee O’Connor(Tranmere Rovers-Loan), Thomas O’Connor(Gillingham-Loan), Liam Scales(Shamrock Rovers)
Midfielders: Conor Coventry(West Ham United), Will Ferry(Southampton), Daniel Mandroiu(Bohemian), Connor Ronan(Grasshopper Zurich-Loan), Will Smallbone(Southampton), Jack Taylor(Peterborough United)
Attackers: Jonathan Afolabi(Dundee-Loan), Zachery Elbouzedi(Lincoln City), Danny Grant(Bohemian), Joshua Kayode(Carlisle United-Loan), Michael Obafemi (Southampton)

 

There was just one Airtricity League Premier Division contest played on Friday afternoon with Bohemian consolidating their second place with a three nil victory over bottom side Cork City in Dalymount Park.
The RSC hosted the meeting of Waterford  and Shelbourne at 5pm on Saturday afternoon where the visitors scored a very late winner to collect all three points.
Cork City will play host to Dundalk at 7.30pm on Tuesday evening.

                        P  W  D  L   F  A   G/D  Pts
Shamrock Rovers        14 12  2  0  38  7   31   38
Bohemian               15 11  0  4  21  9   12   33
Waterford              15  6  2  7  16 21   -5   20
St Patrick’s Athletic  14  5  4  5  10 11   -1   19
Sligo Rovers           15  6  1  8  15 21   -6   19
Dundalk                12  5  3  4  20 18    2   18
Derry City             13  4  4  6  14 13    1   16
Shelbourne             15  4  4  7  12 18   -6   16
Finn Harps             14  2  5  7   9 20  -11   11
Cork City              14  2  3  9   8 25  -17    9

There were three Airtricity League First Division matches played this Friday evening with Longford Town scoring a vital three nil victory over Cabinteely at Stradbrook. UCD defeated hosts Athlone Town by four goals to two while Cobh Ramblers secured a comfortable four nil success against Wexford in Ferrycarrig Park.
Current leaders Bray Wanderers consolidated their position with a two nil victory over Shamrock Rovers II in Tallaght Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

                     P  W  D  L   F  A  G/D  Pts
Bray Wanderers      16 11  2  3  29 12  17   35
Drogheda United     15  9  3  3  32 16  16   30
Longford Town       16  9  2  5  25 20   5   29
UCD                 16  8  2  6  37 26  11   26
Cabinteely          16  8  2  6  21 26  -5   26
Galway United       15  6  5  4  22 14   8   23
Cobh Ramblers       16  7  2  7  21 20   1   23
Athlone Town        16  3  3 10  20 39 -19   12
Shamrock Rovers II  16  3  2 11  18 27  -8   11
Wexford             16  2  3 11  11 36 -25    9 

Following the Corona Virus revelations relating to a member of the background staff which resulted in the match day omission of Aaron Connolly and Adam Idah who had been in close contact with the individual, both players have left the squad and returned to their clubs. Daryl Horgan (Wycombe Wanderers) and Sean Maguire (Preston North End) have been called up as replacements for the upcoming Nations League contests with Wales and Finland. David McGoldrick will not be involved in the upcoming Nations League fixtures as he sustained an abductor muscle injury on Thursday night.

Manager Stephen Kenny and his Republic of Ireland charges suffered bitter disappointment in Bratislava this evening when they exited the delayed EURO 2020 Championship following a 4-2 penalty shoot-out defeat against Slovakia. The match finished scoreless after extra-time with both sides failing to convert some excellent chances.
In the immediate aftermath, this evening’s exit from EURO 2020 is quite a bitter pill to swallow but Ireland showed promising signs of the changed footballing culture favoured by new manager Kenny and with more time to develop his principles we look forward to a more aesthetic and successful style of football.
While the hosts had marginally the greater percentage of possession, they offered very little threat with our central defensive duo of Shane Duffy and John Egan significantly improved from the Europa League outings in September. Darren Randolph made one excellent first half save and Duffy made a magnificent second half goal line block but that was just about all the threat offered by Slovakia.
Our ball retention and passing was much improved although there were a few lapses in accuracy and concentration but overall the signs are promising. With more preparation time we can anticipate much further progression and greater fluidity.
The great majority of the players contributed positively with David McGoldrick the standout performer. We created a number of scoring opportunities but fortune did not favour us this evening. Alan Browne, who replaced the injured James McCarthy on sixty minutes, hit the post and had another effort saved by the goalkeeper while Conor Hourihane really should have scored following another fine passage of play.
Given the exhausting efforts made this evening we are likely to see a number of changes for Sunday afternoon’s Nations League engagement with Wales in the Aviva Stadium. Despite the obvious disappointment of this evening we should look forward to a more rewarding future.

Team: Darren Randolph; Matt Doherty, Shane Duffy(c), John Egan, Enda Stevens; James McCarthy, Conor Hourihane; Callum Robinson, Jeff Hendrick, James McClean; David McGoldrick.
Substitutes:
Robbie Brady for McClean 60′
Alan Browne for McCarthy 60′
Callum O’Dowda for Robinson 99′
Shane Long for McGoldrick 112′

   

Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny has named  his starting eleven for this evening’s UEFA 2021 play-off semi-final against Slovakia in Bratislava. The team is set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Team: Darren Randolph; Matt Doherty, Shane Duffy(c), John Egan, Enda Stevens; James McCarthy, Conor Hourihane; Callum Robinson, Jeff Hendrick, James McClean; David McGoldrick

The 53 times capped Republic of Ireland international Chris Hughton, our former Honorary President, has today been appointed as manager of Nottingham Forest. The Championship club has had a disappointing start to the current league campaign, losing all four of their opening fixtures coupled with their failure to win any of their last ten matches in the previous season. Chris had an illustrious playing career with Tottenham Hotspur followed by short spells with West Ham United and Brentford. His coaching career commenced  at Tottenham Hotspur where he also had two brief spells as caretaker manager. His full managerial career encompasses Norwich City, Birmingham City, Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion. He was also Assistant Manager to Brian Kerr during his tenure as Ireland manager.  

Manager Stephen Kenny has been forced to make three changes to his senior international squad for the upcoming triple header against Slovakia, Wales and Finland.

Injury has forced the withdrawal of Harry Arter, Seamus Coleman and Daragh  Lenihan with their places being taken by Josh Cullen(RSC Anderlecht), Cyrus Christie(Nottingham Forest-Loan) and Kevin Long(Burnley). 

The squad trained at the NTC in Abbotstown on Monday afternoon where Aaron Connolly sat out the session but he is expected to participate on Tuesday morning before they fly to Bratislave in the afternoon.